SKHA gains national attention for cost-effectiveness, efficiency
The Salish Kootenai Housing Authority was given some national recognition Aug. 17 for its participation in a project called "Joint Venture for Affordable Housing" (JVAH).
The JVAH project is an effort by federal administrators and local housing authorities to stretch existing Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dollars by building cost-effective housing while
maintaining good quality.
HUD picked a project being done by SKHA and evaluated it according to various criteria. SKHA's project 13-29 met all the requirements, qualifying it for special recognition from the federal administration.
SKHA was one of three Indian reservation housing authorities to submit an entry. Among other criteria, SKHA was recognized for reducing the cost per unit which went from $80,000 in 1983 to $50,000 in 1988.
According to a status report from the Regional Housing Commissioner, Grady Franklin Maples, SKHA was mentioned as showing "continued administrative improvement". SKHA was granted a regulatory waiver, allowing them to administer the contract almost entirely without HUD involvement or concurrence. "Since SKHA's Administrative Capabilities Assessment scores are some of the highest in the country and SKHA continues to exhibit a high (Concludes on page two)
Public's invited to Blue Bay grand opening
The Tribal Health Department and its Alcohol Program cordially invite everyone to attend the grand opening of the Blue Bay Healing Center (east on Highway 35) on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 1 to 8 p.m.
On the agenda are: 2-to-4 p.m., a feast; 4 p.m., a drawing for $250.; at 4:30, a grand opening ceremony; and tours of the facility and discussions on the healing process throughout the afternoon.
'The Blue Bay Healing Center is a truly unique substance-abuse prevention project developed by the Tribes," notes the press release announcing the
Aug. 27 event "Funded by the Office of Substance Abuse, its goal is to intervene in the generational cycle of substance abuse by engaging the entire Reservation in a healing process. This is done by bringing about awareness of the effects of the disease on the individual, the family, the community and the Tribes. This is the goal that has been developed in the project at Blue Bay and has become the dream of many Tribal members."
For more information, or to make arrangements for transportation, call: Gene Lozeau, 982-3308, or Gary Neumann, 676-2770 (ext. 46).